Noteworthy new listings….
I doubt there’s a more fabulous entry moment in all of Birnam Wood than 526 Crocker Sperry Drive ($9.85 million), where a gazebo-ish door leads to the courtyard pool—a trapezoid with two curved sides—flanked by palms. Behind that is the house, built in 1981, but with the air of a decade earlier, when midcentury architecture loosened up and turned fun. Inside is less distinctive, but solid; the wood-paneled primary bathroom shows how you could update the property stylishly and sedately (although my own preference would be for a dash of preppy, Palm Beach camp). And the landscaping is a model for anyone craving low maintenance.
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510 McLean Lane ($9.25 million) is both a short walk away and a world apart. The 1988 house is straight out of the English countryside, with exquisite gardens to match. (The lot comes off much larger than .89 acre.) Interiors hew to the theme, occasionally to a degree—the kitchen, e.g.—that might have some folks itching for a refresh. (But don’t touch that dining room. It’s perfect.) The main question is whether the layout suits your needs. The house is laid out like a one-bedroom: the massive primary suite has two bathrooms, one of which appears to include an office and a four-seater tub; a huge closet; and a handsome study that could conceivably be converted into a guest room. But why bother, when there’s a nice guest house on the other side of the garden? P.S. Two wet bars!
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According to the listing for 6903 Foxen Canyon Road ($16 million), on 400 acres north of Los Olivos, “the 8,000-square-foot main residence was commissioned by actor James Garner in the 1990s.” It certainly cuts a figure, with three pyramid-roofed pavilions and a pair of formidable chimneys. (It’s giving me French bulldog made of Legos.) Inside is all over the place; even so, the lime green room still comes as a shock. The property includes 25 acres of vineyards and a “clay and shooting range, a well-stocked pond with an artfully lit picnic area”—for picnicking at night?—”an impressive equestrian facility, a croquet/badminton lawn, and miles of hiking and riding trails.”
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The four-bedroom, three-bath house at 715 Circle Drive ($3.75 million), built in 2010, will be snapped up quickly: the lovely renovation feels current but not overly trendy. There’s not a ton of backyard, which could be an issue for families seeking the Cold Spring School District, but what you do get is big, beautiful buffer.
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At first glance, 4756 5th Street ($3.195 million) in Carpinteria looks similar to the home above, but it’s actually “a one-of-a-kind luxury wellness retreat meticulously designed for clean living, wellness-focused peace of mind, and timeless California elegance. […] Thoughtfully shielded from EMFs by expert Oram Miller, it offers a rare calm in today’s connected world. Air and water purifying interiors unfold with elevated finishes while low VOC and formaldehyde materials”—I’ll spare you the rest. I do think it’s quite sharp, even if I wonder why people bother with large accordion doors in a primary bedroom. They look great, but when would you ever open them? To sleep at night? Or for semi-alfresco afternoon delight?
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The 1948 house at 1712 Lasuen Road ($2.7 million) is just 1,938 square feet and in rough shape, judging from the living room ceiling and the bathroom wall. There’s something appealing about a jewel box on the Riviera, however, and the property does include a studio apartment alongside the garage.
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The compound at 1030-1032 E. Mason Street ($4.3 million), at the corner of Voluntario Street, comprises a church with one-bedroom apartment, a three-bedroom home, and a six-unit apartment building operating as housing for seniors. (A built-in congregation!) The church proper is probably zoned for commercial use, but treating it as a residence would only add to the transgressive thrill.
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Also worth checking out:
••• 637 E. Micheltorena Street ($2.9 million): 3,080-square-foot Mediterranean on a 4,112-square-foot lot.
••• 704 Island View Drive ($2.95 million): Alta Mesa three-bedroom that wants updating; it has an ocean view, though.
••• 1227 Olive Street ($1.495 million): Three-bedroom, one-bath bungalow with a big backyard.
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